what is your favorite bass guitar strings?

bassplyr4001 · Posted: Thu Aug 19, 2004 2:01 pm Post subject:

Rotosound RN-66LD

Rufus · Tadpole Joined: 11 Aug 2004 Posts: 22

FWIW:

Recently test driving strings,
After T.I. JF's, DR HiBeams, GHS Boomers, Warwick Black Labels,

TI JF:
Roundcore, Pure Nickel Flatwound.
Loose strings = high action.
Not a Balanced set; 'A' String has less tension then the others.
Nevertheless --- the Best Flats.

DR HiBeams:
Roundcore, Compression wound, Steel
Nice medium tension.
Very Balanced set.
Lot's Boom and 'Zing;' (wide freq. range.)
Best Steel Roundwound IMO.
Too much finger noise for me.
---a great rock/funk string.

GHS Boomers:
I don't know about these.
They went dead so fast, didn't have a chance to test much.

Warwick Black Label:
Roundcore, Roundwound Steel
Medium tension.
Balanced set.
Balanced tone.
A good all around workhorse string.

Dean Markley Ground Roundwounds:
Blah!

I eventually rediscovered the strings
I had taken off 2 years ago when I began my 'String Taste Test.'

Elixir Polywebs:

Hex Core, Nickel Plated Steel Roundwounds
with the original Polyweb coating.
Medium/Tight tension (Hex cores generally have more tension then round cores)
Feels more like a Flatwound string, which is a good thing.
Zero finger noise.
May not have 'Zing' but does have plenty of snap for slap.
Sweetness!
Superb fingerstyle string.

I wouldn't recommend any coated string for pick/plectrum playing.

The ol' Polywebs must not of been on long 'cause they were still fresh.

A quick spray of 'Finger Ease' and they became Teflon.
Super fast.

For some reason, and YMMV, Polywebs have put the smile back on my face.

Yummy!

dutze · Sea Monkey Joined: 27 Dec 2003 Posts: 11

DR Low-Riders. Laughing

LoveThatBass · Posted: Sat Feb 26, 2005 5:46 pm Post subject:

GHS Boomers

rick1651 · Tadpole Joined: 30 Sep 2005 Posts: 17

I think finding a bass string you like is the most frustrating exercise you can go through. The expense alone is staggering. I have a '74 Rickenbacker 4001 that only gets Rotosound RS66LD's, the steel roundwound Swing set. My '75 Fender Jazz sounds great with Rotosound RS77LD. This is a jazz set and are Monel flatwounds. I just tried a set of Dean Markley Blue Steels out it, but they're too twangy for me. But then I guess there supposed to be. I would never knock DM strings at all. I have a newer Jazz fretless that I put D'Addario Chromes on and they sound pretty good, but I think I may try a Rotosound RS77LD. I just picked up a hardly used Vintage Sunburst MusicMan Stingray 5. I haven't got it yet, but I know I'm going to have to go through that exercise again, trying to find something I like on it. I hear a lot of good things about the Ernie Ball Slinkies and may try those first. I play different types of music ranging from Progressive rock to Classic rock, so I use the different basses to specialize on a particular sound. I just recently got into Disturbed. I love the sound John Moyer gets out of his Stingray.
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Playing my bass a day, helps keep the blues away.
(Unless its da blues your playin')

MusicMan Stingray 5
'76 4001 Rickenbacker Custom
'75 American Fender Jazz

Rufio · Posted: Sat Oct 01, 2005 2:46 am Post subject:

I just got some SIT Silencers and they're really really cool.
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wannabeSheehan · Posted: Sat Oct 01, 2005 6:28 am Post subject: Rotosound

Rotosound is my first choice, I like the markley tone but hate how fast they break. GHS boomers are rad, they come in a close second.

I have been in a flatwound phase lately but it comes and goes.
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bcf717 · Posted: Sun Oct 09, 2005 5:00 pm Post subject:

Check out Pyramid. Rounds or Flats... very high end in the price department, but those Germans really know how to wrap 'em. 'Ell of a warranty too.
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-Ryco · Posted: Tue Oct 11, 2005 5:52 am Post subject:

Depends on the bass and music style.......

Jacckson 5- active - rock, funk, fusion - Marrkley Blue Steels
Gibson - passive fretless - jazz, blues - D'addario HalfRounds
Fender P - passive - blues, rock, country - Rotosound Swing66
Ricky 4001 - passive - rock, punk, metal - GHS Boomers

Keeps me broke anyhoo!
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Life is just a game and there's many ways to play and all you do is choose

Neil Gray · Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2005 1:27 pm Post subject:

I have migrated to the elixirs. They last for ages, and they sound great! Dean Markley are still my favourite, though... I just don't use them anymore... They need to make some changes to be as versatile as the Elixir. Now, I can hear some of you rolling your eyes saying, 'Dean Markley's aren't Elixir's!!!' I know this... Markley's just break soooo often, and the Elixir's do not.
End of story.
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Who siphoned the blood out of my cat?

Basspimp116 · Posted: Wed Oct 19, 2005 10:43 am Post subject:

earnie ball hybrid slinkys, and super slinkys
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bass-boy3005 · Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2005 11:47 am Post subject:

i go with ernie ball hybrid slinkys

bluesrocker · Posted: Wed Nov 09, 2005 12:40 pm Post subject:

GHS Precision Flats or Brite Flats. Roto Swingbass too.
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OLD DUDES ROCK HARDER

Fender lefty MIM Jazz
Fender lefty MIA P
Agile lefty acoustic/electric
Bassman 100
Zoom
Sansamp
DigiTech
Two fingers and a thumb

Ankhanu · Posted: Mon Oct 02, 2006 10:16 am Post subject:

I play Fenders on my Yamaha BBN5.
D'Addario Chromes on my fretless.

I recently picked up a Fender Aerodyne Jazz Bass, and I'm not sure what my string preference is for it, as I haven't had to change the strings yet.

Creeping Death · Tadpole Joined: 22 Oct 2006 Posts: 15 Location: Oregon

can't go wrong with rotosounds. I wonder why they aren't in the poll.